When an NBA All-Star power forward who can shoot, rebound and throw beautiful outlet passes is available in an offseason trade, time is not of the essence.

So while teams including the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors try to get Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves, there is no hurry — for several reasons — to get it done.

• The Timberwolves have told teams exactly what they want for Love, and they won't make a deal until they get just that — be it Klay Thompson from Golden State or No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins from Cleveland. Right now, the Timberwolves have leverage, and are using it.

• The teams trying to get Love don't want to give up too much. Trading the past two No. 1 picks (Wiggins, Anthony Bennett) wouldn't be easy for Cleveland. But it would make LeBron James happy. That trumps any concern the Cavs might have about trading Wiggins and Bennett.

• NBA trades can be complicated. For teams with a payroll over the salary cap, outgoing salary closely has to match incoming salary in a trade. Wiggins isn't signed so his salary is zero. Once he signs, his first-year salary will be about $5.5 million, which would help Cleveland get closer to sending Minnesota enough in salary to equal Love's $16.7 million he is owed in 2014-15. However, once Wiggins signs, he cannot be traded for 30 days — another reason a deal might not happen soon.

• Sometimes it requires a third or fourth team to make a deal work, especially since Minnesota is interested in unloading a contract or two.

• Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor wants to keep Love but realizes the front office needs to get something in return before losing him for nothing in free agency after next season.

Go back just two seasons when Dwight Howard made it clear he wasn't interested in staying with Orlando. The Magic weren't going to give him up without a significant haul in return. That four-team deal didn't get done until the second week of August, and when the smoke cleared, the Magic came out winners.

Cleveland seems to be the front-runner. But it's a delicate negotiation even if trading Wiggins and Bennett to Minnesota for Love makes the Cavaliers more of a win-now contender. Just expect it to take a while.

GALLERY: Kevin Love through the years

Kevin Love, left, is one of the best power forwards in the NBA and soon will rejoin 2012 Olympics teammate LeBron James with the Cavaliers. Flip through this gallery to see the path he took. Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports

Love and the Clippers' Blake Griffin have an ongoing rivalry for the title of best power forward, which started during Griffin's rookie season when the title was best young power forward. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports